The Principal Occasion
Former world champion Michael Smith will probably be hoping to keep away from a possible banana pores and skin when he takes on Kevin Doets on Thursday on the World Darts Championship.
The 34-year-old faces the Dutchman in spherical two in what’s a repeat of their encounter in spherical one final yr, wherein Smith needed to come again from 2-1 right down to win 3-2.
Doets seemed sharp whereas seeing off Noa-Lynn van Leuven in his opener however stays an underdog towards the 2023 winner.
The Bully Boy is firmly a part of Ally Pally folklore after his epic nine-darter towards Michael van Gerwen on his strategy to triumphing in January 2023 however heads to the finals needing a robust championship to stay within the high 10 of PDC’s Order of Advantage.
THE BEST LEG OF ALL TIME! 🤯🔥
MICHAEL VAN GERWEN MISSES D12 FOR A NINE-DARTER, AND THEN SMITH PINS A PERFECT LEG HIMSELF!
ONE OF THE GREATEST THINGS YOU’LL EVER SEE IN SPORT. pic.twitter.com/WyKWFcxq5V
— PDC Darts (@OfficialPDC) January 3, 2023
“I actually don’t (give it some thought), as a result of the one factor that stresses me out now’s the questions on that. However I’m not bothered about it, as a result of I’m not going to fall out of the highest 16,” Smith advised Sky Sports activities.
“I would fall out of the highest 10 if I don’t pull my finger out, but it surely means subsequent yr then, as a result of I’ve nearly took a yr now, I’ve received nothing to defend.
“So I’ve received in all probability about £120,000 to defend subsequent yr, so I’ll be again to work alongside anyway. So subsequent yr, not bothered, no strain, I simply need to play darts. The opposite aspect of that, my administration workforce can fear about it, my household can fear about it, I simply need to play.
“So long as I don’t fall out of 64, as a result of then I’ll retire then. If I fall out of 64, I gained’t do Q Faculty, as a result of I do know I wasn’t ok, so I’ll simply actually begin one thing else.”
Mensur Suljovic returns to Ally Pally after a yr at residence final yr as he takes on Canadian Matt Campbell.
Campbell loved a powerful Ally Pally 12 months in the past as he dumped out Lourence Ilagan and James Wade earlier than crossing paths with teenage sensation Luke Littler.
Elsewhere, Romeo Grbavac is up towards Callan Rydz and Robert Owens takes on Gabriel Clemens as a part of eight matches all through the day.
Order of Play
Afternoon Session (from 12:30pm UK time)
Chris Landman v Lok Yin Lee (R1)
Callan Rydz v Romeo Grbavac (R1)
Martin Lukeman v Nitin Kumar (R1)
Gabriel Clemens v Robert Owen (R2)
Night Session (from 7pm UK time)
Nick Kenny v Stowe Buntz (R1)
Mensur Suljovic v Matt Campbell (R1)
Scott Williams v Niko Springer (R1)
Michael Smith v Kevin Doets (R2)
Easy methods to watch
The PDC World Championship is being screened on Sky Sports activities within the UK.
You may watch the afternoon session on Sky Sports activities Darts and Sky Sports activities Principal Occasion at 12:30pm, with the night session ranging from 7pm.
Predictions
Count on no points for Smith within the headline slot, with Campbell to additionally get pleasure from one other win towards Suljovic.
We’re additionally backing wins for Grbavac and Owens, in addition to Scott Williams, Nick Kenny and Martin Lukeman.